Bertram33 User Forum

Just stumbled across this boat in NJ. She has been on the market before but now looks like the owner wants out. What are your thoughts on it?

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/boa/ ... 00220.html

Price sounds fair for the work they say she needs but there is always more costs in hidden places. I am skeptical of the speed. I run a pair of 3116’s 300HP 2500 hrs and cruise at 2400 rpms 21 to 22 kts. WOT 2800rpms 24 to 25 kts My bottom is clean recently blasted and barrier coated. Props are 4 blade nibrals.

Got email from owner and the 3116's are 325hp. I remember this boat now it has been for sale off and on for several years but more then double price asking now. The genset is a Farymann diesel gen that the owner says turns over but won't fire. He also said Genset swallowed sea water a couple years ago so consider shot. Soft spot in deck is at foot of ladder so pop deck off and re-core that area of the deck. Gears either dipstick vent is clogged or gears worn and need rebuild. Said it is a slow leak. Might be a good starting point for someone looking for a diesel 33 FB that won't break the bank

Sounds like a good deal to me for someone that's looking for a diesel boat. All of us either had or have soft spots in the cockpit (it's not too difficult of a fix as it's made to come out).

Hopefully it will turn out to be a good boat for me. I have a contract on the boat, hope to have the out of water survey complete this week and planning to sea trial mid May.

My plans are to cruise the boat on the Chesapeake Bay with my wife and three young kids. I have a fair amount of experience in fiberglass repair & fabrication and am looking forward to getting her into top shape. It will probably take at least a couple years to get her how I want but it appears solid enough to enjoy now and take on one project at a time. There are some really beautiful FBC 33's out there as inspiration.

As a slight introduction. I grew up on the bay, sailing and boating with my family, primarily out of Solomons Island. We raced and cruised sailboats around the bay and then I started working on fishing charter boats to pay for college. Most of my charter fishing was on the bay but I did 2 summers fishing offshore out of Ocean City MD. I also sailed competitively in college and continued to instruct sailing on the weekends after I graduated and got a real job. For the past 5 or 6 years now, I have been fortunate to borrow my parent's Mainship trawlers (they are on their second now) to cruise with my young family for one week each summer. I have a collection of sailing dinghies and a bow rider that I keep in the garage but my wife gave me the green light to find a boat to keep at our local marina so I've been shopping fiendishly ever since.

I don't have much experience with these 3116's and am hiring Foley Cat to check them over and probably to catch up on the maintenence as well prior to bringing her home. Hopefully the transmission was not damaged too bad when run low of fluid but if I need to rebuild or replace, it is in the budget. I have a decent Onan generator that I plan to install after I finish cleaning out the bilges and plan to set up a house battery bank with inverter as well. As you can probably tell, I am pretty anxious to finish the sale and get her home.

George (Buddy) David

Congratulations!!!! Here is hoping you will have many years of cruising on her with your family.
Keep posting here. Other than the Cats, we can answer almost any ???? you might have.
Al

Welcome to the "Club". I purchased my 82 SF in 2014 and have enjoyed her for the past 7 years. My dad raced inboard hydroplanes in Solomons Island in the early 50's.

Thank you for the warm welcome. The hydroplane racing predates me but my father remembers watching them on Mill Creek and always points out where all of the classes would pit.

I already have one question, the boat is missing one of the stainless vent louvers. The one on the port stern quarter, does anyone have the dimensions?

I'm have a slip for the season at what I consider to be a nicer marina and I'd like to have the replacement in place before delivering it home. It has plenty of other room for improvement that I can pick away at but the missing louver is a sore thumb I would like to take care of.

Congrats and welcome. As I mentioned in an earlier post I run 3116’s 300hp in my 33’SF. Have the Cat guy run thru them set the rack for which a special tool is needed. Once done they are good for over 2500hrs before checking again. Clean the after coolers, change all fluids, belts and back flush with barnacle buster.

Capn Tony wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:45 am Congrats and welcome. As I mentioned in an earlier post I run 3116’s 300hp in my 33’SF. Have the Cat guy run thru them set the rack for which a special tool is needed. Once done they are good for over 2500hrs before checking again. Clean the after coolers, change all fluids, belts and back flush with barnacle buster.

Thank you for the guidance. Have you serviced your own after coolers?, are there any parts needed for this service other than the orings? And where do you purchase them from?

Edit, not sure why I was thinking there were orings but I found the gaskets listed to service the aftercooler on a sea ray site as well as miscellaneous houses and ordered those. I still may have the cat shop do the work but at least I have the option to take care of it myself.

Try "High Tide Marine" The owner is Danny and he carries many of the Bertram parts needed for our boats. He isn't cheap, ut I find the prices reasonable. Danny used to work at Bertram back in their heyday, and he is quite knowledgeable about Bertram boats. His number is 305 743-0269

You can also google High Tide Marine and see his catalog.

Thank you

Welcome aboard and congrats on your new purchase.

I helped another 33 owner deliver his boat from Mass to Florida last summer and we spent 3 beautiful days on the Chesapeake. We actually got stuck in Spring Cove Marina due to a cracked fuel fitting, but it was a great spot to be stuck in. When I retire, I'll definitely spend a summer crawling around the Chesapeake. It's a gorgeous area.

What Jack said on High Tide. He is the go to guy for Bertram specific parts.

Congrats on the purchase. I bought ours on a impulse almost 14 years ago and have not regretted it one bit. The vent in question can be had anywhere. It is a 'Sea Dog" brand and can be had from Defender. (our launch seems to like to mangle mine)

Gdavid wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 7:24 am

Capn Tony wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:45 am Congrats and welcome. As I mentioned in an earlier post I run 3116’s 300hp in my 33’SF. Have the Cat guy run thru them set the rack for which a special tool is needed. Once done they are good for over 2500hrs before checking again. Clean the after coolers, change all fluids, belts and back flush with barnacle buster.

Thank you for the guidance. Have you serviced your own after coolers?, are there any parts needed for this service other than the orings? And where do you purchase them from?

Edit, not sure why I was thinking there were orings but I found the gaskets listed to service the aftercooler on a sea ray site as well as miscellaneous houses and ordered those. I still may have the cat shop do the work but at least I have the option to take care of it myself.

It really was a simple job. There are a lot of bolts to remove but if you start at the bottom and work your way to the top leaving some sitting in there spots loosened at the end you can take them out and pull the cooler off. If I remember correctly there is not only a gasket but you’ll need a sealant.